Bullets and Bowstrings
by Sparkly-elf
Summary: Follow the Diary of Senchiyo, a guard appointed to protect the Lord of the North, ruler of Oshu.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N:_** Ah, my very first Samurai Warriors fanfiction, I'm not expecting many reviews because it's not a big fanfiction thing, but for those who did read it, thanks !!

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own any part, nor character nor storyline of Samurai Warriors. This is purely my fanfiction fixated on my favorite characters, with liberties taken of course.

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**_Bullets and Bowstrings_**

**Chapter 1**

Today was… certainly interesting to say the least.

Most of us knew that a war was coming. The Oda and the Hojo were at each other's throats, the Toyotomi were growing stronger by the minute, and the Sanada's defenses increasing every second. The Honoji temple seemed to loom even more over everyone's heads, news of cannons and a bomb corridor and gossip of a dark ninja hiding inside was the gossip rampant in the keep.

Arguments frequently broke out over who would be the one to unify the land. Personally, I believed the Tokugawa would win. Ieyasu was an incredible front man, and with a ninja as great as Hanzo Hattori at ones disposal, I was certain he would win. My friend Kosho however, begged to differ. Her affections lay solely with the Toyotomi.

"Senchiyo!" She would exclaim, waving her bow around extravagantly. "Hideyoshi's forces are massive! There's no way he would ever lose!"

"But Kosho, the Tokugawa have a lot of powerful men at their disposal, plus they may even join with the Oda, it's all part of a plan, I think anyways."

"You'll never be hired with that attitude!" She sighed at me and set down her bow, flopping beside me on the cushions.

Kosho was a pretty woman, with hardened, sharp features and a skinny, long body and long black hair tied in a bun.

"They don't hire us on mentality, the hire us on attributes." I said, albeit politely.

"Yeah yeah," she sighed again, picking at the shaft of one of her arrows, "that's what they say, but you know it 'aint true."

I understood that Kosho was bitter about many things, one of them being how we came to this… place. Both of us were captured during the destruction of the Matsudaira clan of Mikawa. Both of us were still a little hazy on the exact details, but the destruction had been swift, brutal, and neither of us could do anything about it. It took a while, but we felt we had to accept our new fates.

Our families are gone, and now we wait for a warrior to come and hire us as their guard.

Personally, I was worried. I had a certain level of skill with a bow, but I was no warrior, and with the approaching war I felt I wasn't ready to die just yet.

Tensions were running high lately, the approaching war, the mix of clan members in the keep made fights break out, and some out of sheer boredom. Kosho was growing impatient, eager to get out and kill to take her mind off her anger for a little while longer; I unfortunately, did not share her rage. I only knew fear, hesitation and constant doubt.

And then, it only got worse when a messenger was sent for me to report to Anamasa's room. Anamasa was our… _master_. He "trained" us, and then sold us as personal bodyguards.

I slowly slid the door open and bowed down in front of my master. He beckoned me to stand and I shakily rose to my feet.

"It's your lucky day Senchiyo." He said, his double chin wobbling dangerously. He was an incredibly fat man, dressed in flowering robes, sitting down on comfy looking stuffy cushions, a bottle of sake perched on his knee. "Get your belongings. You have been hired."

_Sold you mean._ I thought.

"A messenger is waiting for you outside to take you to your field. Don't keep him waiting. Now go." He pointed lazily towards the door, his messengers ushering me out with hurried hands.

"Wait!" I said. "What clan?"

He did not answer however, and I was left standing in the corridor, sheepishly gazing at the wall in front of me, unsure of what to do next. My heart was in my throat, the bottom fell out of my stomach and left a gaping hole.

This was it.

_Everything is about to change now_. I thought.

"Get to it!" A messenger hissed out the door at me, making me jump. "Don't make your cart wait!"

So I left, playing with my fingernails.

"Sen…? Are you okay?" Kosho put her hands on my shoulders when I re-entered the room. "You don't look so good."

I stared at the floor, my mind buzzing.

"I… I've been hired."

My voice seemed to have risen a few tones, my hands shook and sweated, and only then did it seem to register that I was going off to war to die completely against my will.

"Oh…" Was the only word Kosho said, before I retreated to our rooms and grabbed my small bag of belongings, my longbow, my arrows and a spare change of clothes.

Before I left, I walked outside into the summer sun. It was mid-afternoon, the leaves were just beginning to fall from the trees, threatening autumn to approach. I looked at my reflection down in the pond.

To most, I'm a little small, but I am young: only nineteen in fact. My clothes are nothing special, mostly brown and beige, baggy and easy to move around it, while loose and light for the summer. My hair was an odd, red-ish sort of blonde, tied back in a ponytail with a fair few unruly strands hanging about my face and a thick fringe. My eyes were brown, common as mud, just like me. I still had a fair few cuts and grazes for the recent sparring matches, but I couldn't really cover them up with anything, a warrior must look like a warrior after all.

I sighed.

I am no warrior.

The world suddenly felt too big. After wishing and hoping I could get myself out of this wretched place, I suddenly wished I didn't have to go. I bit my lower lip, my mouth was small, and now it seemed smaller as it thinned with worry and agitation.

Turning my back on my reflection, I walked back into the seating room, my eyes slowly darting over Kosho, who was nonchalantly tightening the string on her bow.

"So…" She said slowly. "I guess this means you'll be leaving then."

The bite of irritation in her words clutched around my heartstrings. I bit my lip, harder this time. My mouth was dry.

"Y-yeah… I am…"

Wringing my hands, I waited until I could take it no more and ran to her, wrapping my arms around her slim shoulders and clutched the material of her clothes.

"I-I'll miss you, K-Kosho!" I sobbed and she cried indignantly at my intrusion, but after her violent spluttering, returned my embrace with a sigh.

"I'll… miss you too."

I knew we could end up fighting each other. It was a possibility but I didn't want to admit it. I couldn't admit it. Not now anyway, when I was so fragile and she was trying her level best to remain indifferent.

She clutched my hand as I rose, a light smile flashed across her face.

"Good luck, Senchiyo."

I nodded, drying my tears foolishly and headed for the door.

"Don't die."

Her last words stuck to me like a proverbial leech on my mind as I left the room and out of the keep, ignoring the calls from other "guards" yet to be hired.

_Don't die_.

I was destined to die. Everyone is, but I would rather it was not with a hail of bullets or on the end of another's weapon.

"You Senchiyo?" Came a voice from a man; holding the reigns of a great brown stallion toting a cart outside the keep.

I nodded, a lump catching in my throat before I could speak.

"Get in then." He smiled kindly at me, gesturing towards the open roof cart. He was an old man, with graying hair and crinkled skin. It made me feel a little better that he smiled. I needed someone to smile at me.

Throwing my things into the cart with a worried, rushed sigh, I jumped when the horse reared back and began trotting off down the street.

The sun beamed down on me, but I simply played with my thumbs as the cart took me towards the sunlight, a slightly unbefitting setting for my approaching doom.

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_**A/N:**_ Read and feel free to review if ya like. Next chappie is Senchiyo falls into the hands of her new clan and finally meets the person she will be guarding for the war. Only problem is, it seems to only build her fear of death. 


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:**_ Wow, this was an awful lot longer than I expected. I'm glad how I got most of the characters out there, woot! I know my OC is a little timid and shy, but that's the point I'm trying to get across. I'm really, really, really trying not to make her a Mary Sue, so if I am please tell me!

_**Disclaimer:**_ Nope, don't own any or the characters/plot/game except my own Senchiyo.

_**Bullets and Bowstrings**_

**Chapter 2**

The cart ride was uncomfortably quiet. I did try asking the old man some questions, but the clop-clop-clopping of the horse's feet drowned out my noise. I was much too timid, too shy to say anything else, so I grew silent, instead seemed content to watch the rolling scenery.

The forests near Mount Kudoyama were dark and lush; the grass glistened under the sun, the trees were in full bloom. I could smell honeysuckle and sakura petals. I relaxed, without meaning to.

Odd, how far away you feel when your world changes faster than you expect it to.

Honestly, I'm not that good an archer. I was trained by my father, though my accuracy is rather good, I don't have much strength in my upper arms and I can't run for long distances. I take too long to knock the shaft into the string and my fingers slip sometimes.

Whoever hired me is either un-important or incredibly dense. With far more skilled archers like Kosho for the same price, how is it that I was picked to be a guard?

I wondered what it would be like for some of the higher ranking guards, like the ninjas and the kunoichis. They must have trained for so long, with teachers and had proper schooling. I would have felt better, if my circumstances were more or less the same as theirs.

I imagined myself protecting some of the more powerful men, men like Hideyoshi, Ieyasu, the powerful Tadakatsu Honda! Those men flew straight into battle, so I've been told, so to be their guard you would have to be expected not to fail.

A little part of me hoped I would be protecting a woman. The women didn't seem to fight as much as the men did, great women such as Ina-hime, or brave protectors like Oichi Azai. I would rather protect them, but then again, they would probably need more protection than a ruthless, skillful warrior such as Tadakatsu.

Either way, I seemed to be bound for one road, and one road only.

This wasn't fair, I wanted a husband, children, a nice house and a normal life. I wanted my family, my friends.

I suddenly felt very small again.

The sun was starting to set, turning the sky from a brilliant blue, to a soft gold and pink. The breeze picked up, but it was gentle and warm. I hugged myself, lonely and worried, wondering how long it would take to get to where I was supposed to be. The old man didn't seem to want to talk, I called him loudly several times, but he just seemed to either not hear me or completely ignore me.

All things happened for a reason I supposed, perhaps I was meant for this fate…? Perhaps this was life's way of telling me I have to be stronger?

I shook my head, I was reading too much into it. Luck of the draw, and my luck seemed to have run out.

It was nearing dawn by the time I could see tents just over a large stretch of green. It grew and grew; I noticed the banners, blue, with a white crest I couldn't quite make out yet. I didn't sleep that night, but I felt wide awake and rather terrified now, my heart was punching fiercely against my ribs.

My breath was coming in sharp bursts, I was shaking, my fingers were clenching into fists and I tried desperately to hold my terrified sobs back. This was my fate now, I was going to die on the battlefield, I wasn't going to have the life I so desperately dreamed of.

The blue banner was for Tokugawa, I prayed and prayed that I could be protecting some low level solider, anything to keep me alive and get through this. I didn't want to die.

Horses neighed as the cart rolled past them; people were running around with weapons and amour, talking, drinking, eating, putting up tent poles and carrying lumber. It all seemed so busy and crowded, not like my small home.

No, this was nothing like home.

The cart stopped and the old man jumped off. I grabbed my things silently, chewing furiously on my lower lip, my chin quivered dangerously. Stumbling off the cart, the old man held my upper arm, smiling at me.

"There you go." He said kindly and turned to fix the reigns on the horse.

"Um… so I work for Tokugawa now?" I asked, but he didn't answer.

I tapped him on the shoulder, he jumped, as if startled and regarded me with a smile.

"Did you say something, dear?"

"Yes… I-."

"Sorry." He said. "I'm deaf. I bet you tried to talk to me on the cart too."

"I-I did." I bowed in apology but he simply waved a hand.

"I should apologize. I can read lips, but I'm afraid I'm stone deaf, and I would love to answer all your questions but I must be off back to Mikawa. There is a tent to the south. Go introduce yourself there to Lord Ieyasu, he will sort you out." He bowed to me, smiling kindly, and I felt my spirit ease a little. "Good luck, Senchiyo."

And with that he left. I was surprised he even remembered my name. He was so polite and courteous; I cursed myself for not attempting to speak with him sooner. I watched the cart roll over the hills away from me and adjusted the bow on my back, taking a deep breath, and walked towards the south, hoping to find someone who could help me.

Tents ruffled in the breeze, men joked around dying embers of fires that burned through the night. The air was cool and fresh, the breeze was crisp and the sun was beginning to peak over the hills.

I didn't know where I was, but I would find out soon.

It wasn't every day you could talk to someone famous, so I felt a little excited to meet the great Ieyasu, and hopeful to get perhaps a glimpse of the elusive Hanzo Hattori. And yet at the same time I was worried how they would scrutinize me, or perhaps if they would appoint me right up front in the guard, protecting someone important. As much as I didn't want to die, I didn't want to fail either.

Feeling thoroughly lost among the sea of tents, I stopped beside a larger fire, looking around at the men and few women, they were all talking, seemingly ignoring me, some of them were sharpening spears and swords, others dozing off to sleep.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I jumped, turning around.

A man, dressed in beautiful silk white and blue clothes, toted with armor stood behind me, addressing me. He smiled, the Tokugawa crest embossed on his chest.

"You look lost." His voice was low and young, his manner courteous. "Do you need help?"

I nodded, bowing in greeting and he bowed back, lopsidedly as if he forgot. "Yes, I'm looking for Lord Ieyasu."

He nodded, raising a hand to his chin. "I see. Can I ask what for?"

"I was hired as a guard, but I wasn't given many details and uh… I don't know where to go." I paused and hung my head, embarrassed. "I don't even know who I'm guarding."

The man laughed. It was a bright and sunny laugh that tugged the corners of my mouth upwards. "I understand. I will take you t see my father, he'll tell you where to go."

"Your… father?"

"Ah, where are my manners?" He bowed again, his helmet threatening to fall. "I am Hidetada Tokugawa."

I jumped, bowing furiously before him. "M-my apologies Lord Hidetada, I… I didn't recognize you!"

"I wouldn't have expected you to. Follow me." He gestured for me and I followed him, walking behind rather than beside in respect. My mother always taught me to do so. But he seemed to speak to me like a friend, an equal. I wasn't used to such treatment from a superior.

"Your name is…?"

"Senchiyo Matsudaira, my lord."

"Enough with the 'lord'." He waved off the comment with his hand. "Really, just call me 'Tada. Where all soldiers here, so it's on friendly terms, okay?"

"Yes L-… 'Tada."

I smiled again, but the man's smile was rather infectious, so it was slightly against my own will.

We approached a screened off area, 'Tada greeted several people along the way. He seemed to get along with everyone really. I liked that.

The screens were blue with the Tokugawa crest. I took a second to admire the paint work before Hidetada beckoned me behind one of the screens and into the closed off area. There was a table, around which stood several people.

And as I walked inside, there he was. Ieyasu Tokugawa, from Mikawa.

He was… slightly smaller and rounder than I thought, but he had a presence to him, an air of command that hung around him that almost frightened me, but brought fourth sheer respect and admiration. He was dressed in blue and white, his helmet was on the table full of battle plans and crumpled up parchment.

Hidetada lowered himself into a bow and when acknowledged, stood to stand beside his father. I too, bowed down on my knees, my blond-ish hair touching the ground.

"You may stand." Ieyasu said, a little impatiently and I rose to my feet. His voice was gruff and commanding, with the odd accent most men and woman have from Mikawa.

I stood, stumbling slightly when my sandal caught on my clothes. I blushed, and saw Hidetada smile at me from behind his father. There was another man beside Ieyasu, but I was busy looking at the tapestry on the floor, my arms glued to my side, my fingers playing with a rogue string in my trousers.

"State your purpose."

Choosing my words carefully, I studied the creases in his clothes, trying my level best to keep relaxed. "I was appointed as a guard, hired in Kyushu, my Lord."

He grunted, shuffling through papers on the table. "Gotta name?"

"Senchiyo Matsudaira."

"Matsudaira?" He repeated, scratching the stubble on his wide jaw. "From the Matsudaira clan of Mikawa?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"I didn't think there were any survivors after they were decimated by the Oda army." He muttered conversationally. "Were there many of you left?"

I shook my head, my shoulders dropped. "I… I don't know, my Lord…"

"I see…" He walked towards me and stood directly in front of me, forcing my gaze to meet his with his hand on my chin. His gloves were cold, his eyes were even colder.

"Tell me, young one, are you here to seek revenge?"

My throat closed, my head became blank. I could have just as easily lied, but under his icy stare I felt that if I lied he would have known anyway.

"…N-No…" I said finally. "I was sold into this."

He kept my stare for a few more seconds and then nodded, turning away from me.

"Then I suggest you get angry." He commanded, picking up a slip of parchment from the table. "Anger fuels the battlefield. There is no place for hesitation or worry in war, young one."

I gulped, the tension eased a little, I half expected him to start shouting at me, like my father used to.

Large pounding footsteps grew nearer until I could feel the ground thumping slightly beneath my feet. Whirling around, I was greeted by the sight of a massive man edging in between the screens.

His armor was brilliant silver with vicious serrated silver spikes lining the edges. He toted a helmet with twisting horns; his face was hard and stony, with age lines and the lightest hint of stubble cast a shadow on his chin. He was strangely handsome, I thought, but he seemed to have one of those forever frowning faces. I knew who this man was, the legend of a man who viciously tore through enemy ranks, who's spear shattered bones and ripped through human skin.

Tadakatsu Honda.

His very presence seemed to shake the very ground beneath my feet, but then again, it could have just been me shaking.

He strode past me, as if I was nothing (but from his great height, I might as well have been) and spoke to Ieyasu, who diverted his attention from me. What they said, I could not tell, I was too much in awe of the man whom so many men feared, and yet respected.

They nodded to each other and Tadakatsu strode over to an officer on the far side of the area, speaking with him. My awed stare was interrupted when Ieyasu spoke again and I snapped from my daze.

"Yes, Senchiyo Matsudaira, we have your information right here." He handed me a roll of paper tied with string. "You are to report to the Date main camp, the reserve guard will instruct you there."

I nodded and bowed again.

The Date clan? They were here too?

"My Lord?" I simply couldn't stop myself from asking. "How many other clans are here?"

Tadakatsu looked up from the guard he was talking to; Ieyasu regarded me with his icy eyes.

Hidetata however, intervened. "Do not trouble yourself father." He said hastily, hurrying me out of the area. "I will escort her to the Date camp; I'll explain everything on the way."

"Hurry back, Hidetada." I heard Ieyasu say from behind the screens.

I watched him blow upwards through the corner of his mouth, ruffling the material at the top of his helmet. He crossed his arms at me, a sly grin playing across his young features.

"You can't ask a leader questions like that." He said. "Lucky I stepped in."

"Um… why?" I scratched my head.

"Because… leaders are always in competition with each other. Besides, my father is an underling at the moment. You're just in the Tokugawa part of the camp now, wait until you get to the Toyotomi part."

"The _Toyotomi_ are here?"

"Yeah, didn't you know?" He started walking east. I followed, wanting to hear more. "The Tokugawa, Date and Sanada clans all joined with the Toyotomi against the Hojo, Oda and Mori."

"I…see. So Hideyoshi is leading, I guess."

Knowing that there were thousands of people here put me at ease a little. If I was put in the middle, guarding a lower officer I might just live through this. Powerful men like Hideyoshi, Tadakatsu and Ieyasu were all on the same side, and though I might sound selfish, if they did all the legwork I had nothing to worry about.

But then, I supposed the legwork was my job. I shuddered.

"You're an awfully quiet one." Hidetada commented to me as we past a group of arguing blacksmiths. "Is something wrong?"

Yes, yes there was something wrong. I was going to die in battle, or I was going to fail in protecting a man I didn't even know. I didn't know which one was worse. I missed my family, my brothers and sisters (all five of them), my friend from home, I missed Kosho, I didn't want to be here. I was… frightened.

"No, I'm fine. It's just a little… overwhelming."

He gave me a knowing smile, guiding me through the tents.

"I know."

The banners changed from the royal blue to an emerald green, the Date crest embroidered beautifully on each one. I liked the Date crest, it reminded me of feathers and birds and wheat grains.

Hidetada stopped and put his hand on my shoulder. When I looked up at him his eyes were full of sympathy, his mouth set in a light smile.

"You're… no warrior, are you?" He asked, and when I hung my head he continued. "Yes, I've seen people like you here. You're scared, aren't you?"

Something made me want to pour my heart and soul out to him, to tell him how utterly frightened I was, but I held my tongue, I simply nodded.

"I'm not going to lie to you, but you can't leave now. You'll be branded as a traitor and… they'll… kill you, you know."

I bit my lip again; it was close to bleeding I've been biting it that much. "Either way, I'm going to die."

"Don't say that." He shook me a little, to bring my gaze back to his. He had to look down at me, I was small and he was rather tall. "If you just do your job, really, there's nothing to it."

"But I… I don't… I don't want to kill people!" It took me a second to realize my voice had risen and I was shaking, verging on tears. "And I don't want them to kill me! I can't-"

He hushed me with a gloved hand.

"Relax!" He said, and then guided me away from the staring soldiers. He took me to a large wooden stand around which stood armed guards with wooden shields.

"Take it from me, you'll feel better once you talk to the person you'll have to guard." He pointed towards the guards with shields, then at the one holding a green banner with the Date crest. "That's the Reserve guard. Give him the paper my father gave you, then he'll appoint you."

Turning me around to look at him again, I was playing with my fingers and chewing on my lip to keep me from crying or screaming, or both.

"I'll come back tomorrow to see how you're doing, okay? I have to get back to my father and Lord Tadakatsu. Look," he was rather handsome I noticed, but he was in a hurry and his face started to contort a little with frustration, "Senchiyo, you'll be fine, trust me. Talk to your Lord, everything's gonna work out, I know it."

He let go of me and winked, it made me smile a little. He started walking away, back towards the Tokugawa camp.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He called. "Good luck, Senchiyo, just relax okay?"

The lump had returned to my throat so I simply bowed to him and watched his taller frame weave in between the tents.

_Everything's gonna work out, I know it._

That made me smile. Maybe it was "gonna work out"

Shakily, I made my way towards the reserve captain. We bowed in greeting to each other and I passed him the paper. I couldn't see his face; it was hidden beneath his helmet and layer upon layer of armor.

"Ah yes, Senchiyo Matsudaira. We've been waiting for your arrival." Handing me back the paper, he bowed again, it confused me. "Lord Masamune is anxious to see you. He has been asking for the arrival of the skilled archer he hired from the Matsudaira clan."

I choked.

"_S-s-s-s-skilled archer_?" I cried, my voice unbearably high.

He raised a brow at me. "Eh… yes. You are to report to Lord Masamune's tent immediately."

The man bowed, his banner waving in the breeze and pointed towards the large banner and crest roughly in the middle of the tents. Lord Masamune's tent.

My ears filled with a buzzing noise as I walked towards the higher banner. My legs were like jelly, the laughing sounds of men almost seemed to taunt me as I walked past.

My eyes were dazed, as though I had been knocked around the head.

This was my fate, to protect the leader of the Date clan.

"_Gonna work out?"_ I asked myself.

Gods help me; I am destined to be killed in battle!

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_**A/N:**_ You know the drill, read and if ya want to review, it's just a button away! WOO! 


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N:_** yay new chap. Regardless if people are reviewing or not, I'm gonna keep writing atleast until I start studying for my leaving. I feel like I just have to keep going, if just to get the idea out of my head.

_**Discalimer:**_ Blah blah blah I don't do copyright theft blah blah no pay, this is all my crap blah blah blah

**_Bullets and Bowstrings_**

**Chapter 3**

The tent was right in front of me, but I didn't want to go inside. It felt like I'd be proving that this all was really happening, it wasn't just some crazy dream, though I was desperately trying to tell myself to wake up.

I supposed I should ask first, if someone was inside…

Or… maybe I could stall a little longer.

I knew the other soldiers were looking at me, as I anxiously stood outside the larger of the green tents with my hand outstretched to the pull-back canvas. Pretending I was just admiring the fine embroidery, I listened for any noise inside.

I could hear what sounded like someone sharpening a blade, then a clunk (obviously the blade being placed down) and footsteps.

Not wanting to be caught standing outside like an idiot, I pulled twice on the cloth covering. "My… Lord?"

"Come inside, don't be foolish." Came the voice from the inside.

I took a deep breath, clenched my fists and pulled back the canvas.

It was a little dark as I stepped inside, but I could still make out the man.

So this… was the great Masamune Date? The ruler of the north? I heard that he was young, but I never expected him to look just a few short years older than myself. He couldn't have been out of his twenties, hell he barely looked out of his teens!

His clothes were the same emerald green of the banners, trimmed with gold and his armor was black, the contrast of the two giving a beautifully rich appeal. His helmet bore a gold crescent moon, or what reminded me of one and his cape was embroidered with a white, one-eyed dragon. I wondered why that was, until he turned from the side profile I was looking at, and I noticed he only had one eye.

He bowed in greeting and I was snapped out of my daze, bowing awkwardly back.

His one eye traveled over me until it locked onto the bow on my back. He smiled.

"Ah, so you must be Senchiyo, I am right?" My God he even sounded young, but his accent was slightly common and his voice was jovial.

"Y-yes my Lord." I bowed again several times.

"Well, come closer and let me have a look at you." He pointed to the ground before him and I shakily stepped forward, my eyes never leaving his face.

Up this close, I noticed he was just that little bit taller than Hidetada. His face was sharp featured, with a little round nose and bow shaped lips. His one eye was a chestnut brown and it was big and round like a coin. The helmet was hooked with straps around his chin, and if I didn't know any better, it made his face look thinner, longer, his chin more defined. He was clean shaven. I liked that.

His eye patch had very intricate designs, but before I could examine it his hand hooked onto my left arm and pulled it up. My reflexes made my muscles jump and quiver, but I didn't dare wrench my arm away.

He groped and pulled at my biceps, then my forearm, then shoulder. Both hands on my shoulders spun me around so my back was to him. I stumbled but he held me upright. I could almost hear him _smirk_.

Fingers traveled none too gently down the twin muscles of my back. I resisted the urge to shiver, my heart was racing as his hands went lower, just before my…

"Seems good enough to me." He said finally, clapping me on the shoulder. My knees buckled under his hand. He honestly didn't look that strong, for I knew I couldn't possibly be _that_ weak.

"… Can I ask what, my Lord?"

"Wha- oh yes, yes. You certainly seem strong enough to handle yourself, I mean. Tell me, have you had much skill with a bow?"

I gulped. I hoped he wouldn't ask a question like that. I didn't want to lie, after all, he would probably know if I was anyway. I've heard stories that Masamune Date was a genius, not only that, but I was a terrible liar.

"Y-es, I…"

"Turn and face me, when you speak please." He commanded, and I found myself turning on the spot without even thinking.

"I have been trained, my Lord…" I said. It wasn't a lie. My father did train me.

He was standing very close, I had to crane my neck up to look into his eye, and when I did it was very difficult to look away. My face was flushing in embarrassment. He had such an intense stare; it was like he was looking into me rather than at me, picking me apart piece by piece.

"Tell me…" He was speaking quietly; his breath could be felt ruffling the flyaway hair at the top of my head, "are you afraid of me? You look rather… terrified is the word that comes to mind."

Of course I was afraid, but it was only partly because of him. I was simply scared of my situation.

"A little, my Lord." I whispered, still unable to tare my eyes from his.

"Excellent." He clapped his hands together, his head bowing to me, his eye closing when he smiled. "Then you must show me what you can do. Follow me to the training area."

He beckoned me outside and I followed. His strides were long; I had to hurry to keep up with him.

People bowed to him as he walked past, I wondered vaguely if he could see them on both sides, and then I cursed myself for being so inconsiderate.

Then again, I doubted I was going to live for much longer, might as well think whatever I feel like.

I wonder, if he realized I was terrible in the training area, would he kill me?

Leading me to a circular area closed off by wooden stakes, he stopped and gestured for me to enter. I walked in and the soldiers inside shuffled out, some of them simply jumped over the wood. I stood awkwardly in the middle, waiting for my next order. Masamune gestured for me to go on.

I fumbled with the strap of my bow, and then remembered I had no arrows. Fortunately a solider who was training with a bow before me handed me his quiver and bowed, and I bowed back in thanks. The soldiers here were so nice!

So nice in fact that some of them choose to watch what had brought me to Lord Masamune's attention.

My palms were sweating, my chest was heaving and I hadn't even started yet.

"Okay," Masamune said, standing outside, his arms folded across his chest, "first I just want you to hit the top of every piece of wood in the enclosure."

I quickly counted them, there was twenty five. Yeah, I could do this; it was just like training with my father. At least, I hoped I could. I salivated with swallow, trying to get rid of my horribly dry throat.

"Don't miss." He warned with a smirk. "Or you may as well shoot us in the chest." He gestured to the men around the enclosure. I was not some dancer on for show, why did they all have to stare so?

"So if you miss," he continued, a hand going to his hip, "I'll shoot you right between the eyes."

At first I thought he was joking, until I saw his hand clasp around a gun on his hip. I looked at him, my jaw agape, and though he smirked and there was mirth in his eye, I knew he was deadly serious.

I was breathing quickly, my mouth was in a hard line and my brow was crinkled with worry. I didn't even think I was going to get to the battlefield.

Slowly, I drew an arrow from the quiver, lacing the shaft between my fingers, my long bow straight, the notch on the end of the arrow clicked into the bowstring. I raised it and aimed, I closed one eye.

Perhaps, my family would be there for me in a later life. If I was to be shot now, at least I would see them again.

I pulled the string back, feeling the material clench beneath my fingers.

Yes, I remembered this, back years ago when my father used to train me to shoot apples off the tree, or how to shoot fish in a stream, birds from the sky.

I tried to remember as much as I could, everything my father told me. I imagined my small home back in Mikawa, down in the field where my father showed me how to use a bow. It helped, if I imagined I was still there, if he was still alive.

With bated breath, I said a silent prayer, the tip of the stake dead in my sights and let the arrow fly.

It whistled through the air and…

Caught the stake dead on in the tip.

Suddenly, I was at home again.

Twenty-four more times, my fingers took the arrows and knocked them into the bow.

Twenty-four more times I pulled back the string, the sound of my father's voice ringing in my ears, I was oblivious to everyone else around me, and I was so happy too. I missed my father. He would have been proud of me, for being brave with a gun flashed against my back.

Twenty-four more times I caught the stakes with the arrows. I set my bow down by my side and released a relieved sigh. I started shaking again, relief lapping at my consciousness like a cool stream.

The men cheered and I blushed, setting down the quiver.

"Very good." Masamune said, his head cocked to one side. "You're certainly accurate enough." He then turned his attention to the men loafing around the keep.

"Do you _mind_?" He snapped at them and they shuffled away, grumbling. "Idiots."

He entered the enclosure and started pulling the arrows from the stakes, his hands deft and accurate when he turned his attention on me, swiveling his head around to look at me with his good eye.

"Yes, you are good, but you are much too _slow_. It's all well and good being accurate, but when you're in a crowd of people in a battle you need to get as many shots in as possible." Pulling the last arrow from the stake, he put them back in the quiver and handed them to me. I took it, blushing under his scrutiny of my skill. I thought I had done rather well, actually.

"That's why you need to fire quicker. Have you ever used a Musou attack?"

I shook my head, bewildered. Musou? What?

"Well, you need to learn how to use a Musou attack, and, how to fire a multi-arrow shot." He smiled at me, his expression softened. "I'll show you how. It's not hard at all."

"Oh, no really!" I bowed, embarrassed. "You don't have to that, you can just ask someone else for-"

"No no no!" He cut me off. "Best way to learn, is to learn from the best. And _I'm_ the best, got it?"

I nodded, my face red. Well… if he _insisted_…

"Okay, just stand like this and…"

* * *

It was late evening before he let me leave the enclosure.

I was heaving, my limbs were stiff and sore, my fingers were bleeding from the bowstring (which eventually snapped, much to my dismay) and my heart felt heavy in my chest. Musou attacks can do that to you, he said. My arms were an array of cuts and bruises, my legs also in the same state. I was afraid to know what my back looked like. He had a habit of striking when my back was turned. He may have only been using a little dagger, but he was swift, and I wasn't used to it.

I was leaning over the edge of the wooden barrier, trying desperately to catch my breath. Sweating, wounded, hungry, badly needing to get to the bathroom, I held up my hands in defeat and slid to the dusty ground. I wanted to cry, so many cuts, so much pain. I'd never been in a worse state, and I dully thought through my foggy brain that he was being lenient; the enemy army would not be so _gentle_.

Masamune shook his head at me, a little grin curling at the edges of his mouth. He too, probably trained more than me, and yet there were no signs of fatigue, he wasn't even breathless.

I wanted to kill him, after telling me countless times to "put my back into it" and "hurry it up", the words seemed to have lost all meaning.

"Okay, that was pretty good." He said and I winced, feeling thoroughly beaten up. "You certainly have the multi-shot down; you just need to be a little quicker."

He walked over to me and pulled me to my feet, holding my arm to keep me upright. "Go get some food and water, and a bath too, then rest up, I expect the same tomorrow."

_Tomorrow? Will I even be able to move tomorrow?_

"T-thank you, my L-Lord." I rasped. My knees were shaking, my arms felt like lead, but somehow I managed to follow his orders and drag myself to a tent where they were serving food.

Wolfing down my rice dumplings and Ramen (My god it was delicious, who knew the army had such excellent cooks?), the chef was peering over his flames at me with amusement. After I choked a few times, he quickly handed me a bowl of water and patted me on the back, telling me to "relax, the food isn't going anywhere."

After my meal, feeling thoroughly satisfied, I walked outside to see it was now night time. Men and a few select women were sitting around fires outside their tents, laughing, joking, drinking.

If I knew where there was a lake or something, it would be a big help… but I didn't want to ask.

Curse my shyness. I shivered in disgust, my clothes were sticking to the cuts on my back and arms, I could feel the sweat pooling around my navel, at my back, on my thighs.

_Dear god. Bath. NOW!_ I thought.

A woman got up and walked to her tent, I timidly reached out and she regarded me with a smile and a bow. I bowed back, despite how painful it was.

"You okay?" She asked, her eyes skimming over my cuts, grazes, dusty and sweaty clothes. My eye twitched. _Do I LOOK okay?_

"I was just wondering where I could go for a bath?" I twisted my hands. I hated informing people I was going to go and do something as personal as clean my sweating body.

"Yeah sure. It's just," she pointed through the tents towards the forest on the other end of the encampment, "through there, you can't miss it. But you better go to the medical tent first, those cuts look pretty bad. Medical tent is on the way there."

She was a savior! I wanted to hug her, but in my current sweating, bloody state I thought the better of it and bowed low in thanks.

Ten minutes later (and after an embarrassing argument with the medical captain about obtaining some salve, honestly! I wasn't about to bare all, I could do it myself!) I stripped myself of my sweaty clothing, dumped them in a pile behind a large boulder and slowly stepped into the cool waters.

I shivered, it was summer and the water was a little warm, but it was colder than my body was at that moment and I was shivery, my teeth were chattering, but luckily, no one seemed to be around. I kept a sharp eye out, just incase.

My cuts seared when I waded in deeper, and then tingled blissfully as they became numb. I tied my hair up in a bun, the ends got a little wet in the water and I shivered when beads of water rolled down my spine.

I wallowed around in the water before reaching over to the bowl of salve the medical captain gave me (I nearly had to fight him for it).

It was… sticky, and a little smelly, but if it worked, I didn't care.

This feeling was so alien to me. I grew up in a big home, my parents weren't rich, but we weren't poor. We looked after each other, but now here I am, taking care of myself. I didn't know if it was pride I was feeling, I could have just been hungry, but for once I was alone and…

I liked being alone. Maybe for just a little while.

I hissed, the salve stung a little as I spread it thickly along my forearm.

My mother used to do this for me as a child, I hated that. It took me a while to let her clean the wound and dress it, I just shied away from her gentle hands, afraid she would cause more pain, even though I knew she wouldn't. My elder brother always laughed at me.

"_So you would rather live with the pain, than let someone heal it for you?"_

Gods above, I missed them.

It had been less than a year but I didn't really know how I felt. They were all dead, and yet…

Perhaps I was in shock. Maybe just a little part of me still wanted to believe that somewhere, they were still alive. It was foolish, but it kept me sane.

Returning from my pensive daze, I could hear talking; people were approaching. It was dark on the other side of the water, with forests and big rocks. I grabbed my things and quickly waded to the other end of the small lake, climbed out and dressed myself in a sleeping yukatta.

Relieved when I heard the sounds of splashing water and talking voices, I crept away from my hiding place, while trying to look dignified, and walked back to the tents.

"All cleaned up, I see." I heard a young voice say to the right side of me.

I turned. It was Masamune, still wearing his armor, even at this time of night! He was carrying an armful of bullet pouches, his head cocked to the side, looking straight at me.

"Better get some sleep, it's gonna be a long day tomorrow."

I nodded, my stiff muscles creaked as I bowed. Sleep sounded so good right now.

"There's a tent for you, just to the right of mine." He nodded in the direction. "Night, Senchiyo."

He really… had a lovely smile; it was warm and inviting, and just a little cheeky too. Perhaps it was because he was so young.

"Do you need a hand with those bullets, my Lord?" One of the pouches was slipping out from under his arm, but he sharply adjusted the weight and it became caught between his armor and his forearms.

He pouted, his face holding all the maturity of a child throwing a tantrum. "I can do it!" He whined.

I resisted the urge to laugh when I realized he was actually serious. He reminded me of my younger brother when he made that face.

"Off to bed, you." He smiled again and I smiled back.

"Goodnight, my Lord."

We walked in opposite directions.

I eventually found my tent, surprised to see I didn't have to share with anyone.

I made a face; I was getting special treatment because I was Masamune's guard? I could live with that.

Dumping my stuff on the ground, I crawled into my squishy futon and fell almost instantly into a tired, dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: Yaaaaaaay new chap (god, i'm doing this much faster than I expected!). Review if ya want. Constructive criticism is also greatly appreciated. 


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